Is It Still Winter Or Are The Yankees Injury Jinxed Too Early (Again)?

I was going to open about the Yankees. The fact that Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery and J.A. Happ have pitched well thus far. Rookie phenom Delvi Garcia is trueing heads. Gleyber Torres is comfortable at the plate. Thankfully, so too is Clint Frazier. Lots of positives in Tampa thus far.

Of course, if there are positives with the Yankees, there are negatives. Usually those negatives outweigh the good in camp. 

Luis Severino—out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Giancarlo Stanton has a calf strain which makes his starting the season with the big club in doubt. No further updates on James Paxton’s return.

Then there is Aaron Judge. His shoulder soreness has morphed into a new ailment in his right quadriceps. An MRI on the shoulder came back negative. Funny thing—Severino’s original MRI was negative. 

Judge will undergo further tests next week. I am dreading the outcome of those tests. The last thing the Yankees need is to have Judge and Stanton out for extended periods, especially with CF Aaron Hicks still recovering from his Tommy John surgery. 

This is the New York Yankees, not a hospital ward. At least I thought that. They are keeping the staff doctors busy as well as some renowned surgeons like Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery, who worked on Severino this week.

I would like to hear less about doctors and MRI’s, tests and PRP—too close to home for me. This is not the way to begin the season. 

I came across an article the other day about the Flytrap defense. Flytrap defense you say?

In this day of analytics dominating baseball, the shifts employed by teams are numbers-related, based upon algorithms which analyze the number of times the ball is hit to a certain location. Thus, a team has a reasonable chance of recording an out based upon a hitter’s past history or how a pitcher attempts to pitch him from his history. This is why there are so many shifts in baseball, which, in many instances work, but of course can fail miserably. Yet how baseball is played cannot simply be mathematically explained.

So back to the Flytrap defense. Oberlin College was a bad team from the 1970’s into the early 1990’s. Their opponents would regularly trounce Oberlin by double digit margins. 

The coaches at Oberlin included assistant coaches  who coached other sports—football and basketball, where switching defenses can be important as to the outcome. Thus, with nothing to lose, in 1994 Oberlin went to a radical defense leaving essentially a pitcher and catcher with sometimes a first baseman in the infield and all the other players scattered about the field. 

After the opponents laughter subsided upon seeing this inventive defense, they tore it apart because Oberlin was really bad, and it left the team vulnerable for bunt hits. Oberlin abandoned this gimmick and actually became good in baseball in recent years. 

We tend to give credit to Tampa Bay for establishing the overloads we see on the diamond. Instead, maybe we can tip our caps to Oberlin College, who thought out of the box 30 years before the shift was born. 

As we enter this baseball season, there is a protracted fight over one of baseball’s immortals. The Phillie Phanatic. The Phillies are suing  a group of defendants who claim they are the rightful creators  of the Phanatic. 

The company Harrison/Erickson designed costumes and puppets in the 1970’s: Miss Piggy, Fraggle Rock among the masterpieces created, along with the Phanatic. Club Vice President Bill Giles wanted an innovative mascot to replace colonial figures Phil and Phyllis. So Harrison/Erickson was hired and created the costume we know and love, for $5,900, with the Phillies having the right to use the costume on TV, in commercials and in personal appearances.

Erickson’s widow sees the ownership residing with Harrison/Erickson despite differing agreements and settlements, copyright issues and the like which have cropped up since the Phanatic’s inception in 1978. It is complex litigation full of claims, counter claims, declaratory judgment requests that are too burdensome to detail. Suffice it to say that, absent a trial or a settlement, the Phillies might have to cease the use of the mascot in June of this year. 

The Phanatic stands 6’6”, with a 90 “ waist for its overweight, clumsy, big beaked and big footed 300 pounds of bright green fur, which is slightly fragrant from body odor. The Phanatic’s website says he came from the Galapagos Islands, has a best friend named Phyllis, and his mother’s name is Phoebe. He likes to eat cheesesteaks, Tastycakes, scrapple and hoagies. His favorite movie is Rocky. 

Most importantly, he is one of 3 mascots in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And an endearing, funny, in your face character which warms the heart of children and adults—even if he is the most sued mascot for his antics that sometimes fail miserably. 

Let’s get this settled in some manner. The Phillie Phanatic is as iconic to Philadelphia baseball as is Mike Schmidt, the Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman. 

I want to take a moment to discuss the Kobe Bryant memorial. I think that it was the most emotional and well-done tribute to a fallen sports hero that I have ever witnessed. His widow courageously eulogized her husband. Speaker after speaker gave rare insights into the man—a private and very complex individual who might well be described as a Renaissance Man. The giants of the sports world came to the Staples Center that morning. Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan shed tears for him during their remarks. Rhianna and Alisha Keys offered musical tributes. Legendary UConn Women’s Head Coach Geno Auriemma and Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu, who would set a record THAT night in Palo Alto by becoming the first player in D-I history, men’s or women’s, by compiling 2000 points, 1000 assists and 1000 rebounds in a career, gave memorable speeches. 

It is still sad and tragic what happened on the hillside in Calabasas that fateful morning. The litigation has started but it simply cannot replace the lives lost nor alter the feelings displayed by so many in Los Angeles and beyond. 

The two New York teams are still fighting for playoff spots in the NHL as the calendar turns. The Rangers signed leader Chris Kreider to a long-term deal and he suffered a broken foot in a loss to Philadelphia. The Islanders lost to the Rangers in OT then were shutout at home by Boston. With the Rangers down a couple of players and the Isles not playing to the level of earlier in the season, the hopes of these two teams are 50-50 that they make the playoffs. 

I saw a replay of an ESPN E:60 documentary on then-Washington State Head Football Coach Mike Leach. What I did not know is that he did not play college ball, was an average player in high school in Wyoming and that he graduated BYU Law but never practiced.  

Instead, he chose the route that he loved—to coach. His wife understood what made Mike happy, and they endured many hardships along the way as he worked tirelessly towards becoming an innovative offensive coach in a number of stops, the latest now at Mississippi State. Brash and opinionated, Leach was recognized for his brilliance by many of his mentors and peers. That comes from the highly analytical and disciplined mind of the law school training he received. Who knew?

Now on to college basketball. Rutgers lost a heartbreaker at Penn State on Wednesday night, fighting back from a deficit of over 20 points to take a lead into the final minute in State College, falling to a three pointer. Two games left to redeem themselves. Tuesday night when I sit court side as Maryland, the top team in the Big Ten, comes to Piscataway. The regular season closes out with a trip to Purdue next weekend. Whatever happens, whether RU wins  some games or loses the rest, it has been an improvement that RU fans have waited for. 

Coach Steve Pikiell was richly rewarded with a $20 million extension on Friday aa a result of what his team has accomplished. This makes him the second highest paid public employee in NJ—behind Greg Schiano. And by the way—a hostile workplace lawsuit has been filed against an employee in the athletic department. RU sure knows how to hire and spend money on its athletics.

The game of the week was in women’s basketball. Hartford, the last winless team in D-I college basketball, upset 25-2 Stony Brook in the final game of the season for the Lady Hawks. There are 9 teams in the America East Conference. Eight go to the playoffs. This was Hartford’s playoff game. Good for them.

Which leads me to the my take on the NCAA field as we are 2 weeks away from Selection Sunday. There are a lot of teams fighting for spots in the field. Here’s what I see:

America East  Vermont (or tournament winner)

AAC        Houston, Tulsa, UConn, Wichita State and SMU fighting for 3-4 berths

A-10 Dayton is a lock; Rhode Island, Richmond, St. Bonaventure and St.Louis have shots at getting in. 2-3 spots.

ACC Florida State. Louisville, Duke and UVA all are in.

Atlantic Sun Liberty is 27-3 and 13-2 in conference play heading into this weekend; North Florida is 20-11 and 13-3. If Liberty loses in the conference tournament, will they have a good enough         resume?

Big 12 Kansas is a lock, and Baylor too, even with a loss on Saturday to TCU;

        Texas Tech, one of last year’s darlings, is dangling on the fence right now.

Big East         Seton Hall stands tall; Creighton and Villanova should make the NCAA;s too. Providence has an outside shot to     make it, along with Xavier, Butler and Marquette. I see no more than 5 from the Big East.

Big Sky         Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado have had identical seasons; Montana is chasing them. Only 1 gets a bid.

Big South Radford and Winthrop are the 2 superior teams; both should get in. Only 1 makes the tournament.

Big Ten         Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Illinois, Penn State and Iowa are in; Ohio State, Michigan, Rutgers and Indiana have work to do. I see 8 teams from the Big Ten, not 1 capable of winning the NCAA Championship.

Big West.  UC Irvine is the class of this league’ UC Santa Barbara is a distant second. One team only here                       Colonial          Hofstra, William & Mary or the tournament winner go on.

C-USA Pick one from North Texas, Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech or an upset winner.

Horizon         Wright State or Northern Kentucky or their tourney winner.

Ivy         Yale is the frontrunner; if they lose to Harvard or Princeton, do they have a strong enough record to be a wild card?

MAC Bowling Green or Akron or an upset winner.

MEAC NC Central and NC A&T are the leaders.

MVC Norther Iowa, Loyola and Bradley are all worthy of an invite; Maybe 2 get in.

Mt. West         San Diego State for sure; Possibly Nevada or Utah State. But not likely.

NEC         It is St. Francis PA and Merrimack.;1 comes dancing from the NEC.

OVC Belmont, Austin Peay and Murray State. All tied at the top. Does the Committee dare take 2 from the OVC given recent successes?

Pac 12 I see 6 teams taken  here; 7 are in play—Oregon, UCLA, Arizona State, Colorado, Arizona, USC and Stanford.

Patriot Colgate is the top team; will they survive the conference tournament?

SEC         Kentucky, Auburn LSU and Florida should all make the dance.

Southern         East Tennessee, Furman, UNCG are the top 3. Only 1 makes it.

Southland Stephen F. Austin is the class of the league and winners over Duke; Abilene Christian and Nicholls State trail;      Take SFAU if they stumble—they are that good.

SWAC Prairie View leads. Somebody goes.

Summit         South Dakota State, North Dakota and South Dakota are teams which could upset someone in the first round of the NCAA’s; only 1 representative from this league.

Sunbelt         Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas State; just 1 is permitted in.

WCAC Gonzaga is a certainty, as is BYU; St. Mary’s is on the bubble as is Pacific. USF is a long shot. 

WAC New Mexico State is 23-6 and has the only remaining unbeaten conference record; I bet the Selection Committee is dreading having to decide if the Aggies are invited should this group fall.

No picks yet. No complaints yet. That’s about two weeks away. 

Unless I am focused on another Yankees injury. 

Spring Training Blues

Sadly, one of my loyal readers has passed away. Myron Krop. A former President of Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield, New Jersey and a pharmacist by vocation, Myron was also an avid sports fan and Rutgers alumnus. Periodically, from his retirement home in Florida, he would either send encouragement or tell me how off base I was in my efforts. Many will miss his spirit and kindness. I will miss his mentoring and laugh. Our condolences to Marion and the entire Krop family.

Drew Brees has opted to come back for one more year in New Orleans. Saints fans are relieved. The team faces the dilemma of what to do with Teddy Bridgewater, who went 5-0 in Brees’ absence in 2019. Tayson Hill is still an unproven commodity despite his declarations of how good he is. Remember this Saints fans, Brees is over 40 years old…

The NFL has a proposal for expanding the season to 17 games, enlarging the roster slightly and adding playoff teams. I would like the NFL to do away with exhibition games—how about controlled scrimmages against another team for charity? And don’t dilute the product by adding teams to the post-season. 

In college football land, there is clamoring about expanding the playoffs to 8 teams, using the conference title game week to start the games or use NFL Week 17 to their advantage, television-wise. Plus use 6 bowls as the basis for the tournament, with a rotating championship in New Orleans, Miami, Las Vegas, North Texas and Los Angeles, with that game on the Monday following the AFC and NFC title games. This is interesting.

Two articles this week on the ESPN web site caught my eye. First, there was an article about Tommy Tuberville, the highly successful former Auburn head football coach, who is running for the Republican candidacy for U.S. Senate in Alabama. Tuberville faces an uphill battle, as Jeff Sessoms, former Senator and Attorney General for current President Donald Trump, looks to regain his seat now held by Democrat Doug Jones. I particularly liked how Tuberville was courting voters at Alabama on a football Saturday. Such is the nature of Alabama-Auburn in the state known as the Yellowhammer State, the Cotton State or simply the Heart of Dixie—take you pick.

The second article dealt with the situation of a young man determined to seal his mother’s legacy. Donovan Clingan is a 7 foot, 15 year old sophomore basketball player at Bristol Central High School in Connecticut. He plays for his mother, Stacey Porrini Clingan, who was a 6’4” center and star on the girls team at Bristol Central. She also starred at the University of Maine, which made 3 NCAA appearances with Stacey. 

Tragically, Stacey died from breast cancer in 2018 while he was in 8th grade and his sister Olivia was a year behind in school. Donovan has been besieged with offers to play for a horde of traveling teams and to attend prep and parochial schools to further showcase his talents, which have been already been noticed by many Division I schools. 

Donovan has elected to remain at Bristol Central. He is determined to not only break his mother’s records but to etch his own in the history of the school. And he likes to be at home—there is no place he would rather be. Such a compelling story.

I still marvel over the fourth quarter of this year’s NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. What a great game—players taking charges, blocked shots—Giannis on LeBron TWICE. The fact that TNT agreed to let the 51 minutes of action, replay challenges and real competition go without commercial interruption only added to the enjoyment. No wonder the NBA has already said that this format will remain in place for next year’s game.

Dwayne Wade’s Miami Heat jersey was retired this weekend. The accolades which were bestowed upon him were deserved. His play was great and yet somehow he is undervalued in the pantheons of the NBA. I don’t get it. I do like his commercials with wife Gabrielle Union. ESPN didi a bio story about him on Sunday.

Predictably, Rutgers won against a slightly undermanned Illinois team last Sunday night. That sent the team to 17-0 at home. Then nemesis Michigan came to the RAC on Wednesday night and shut down the Scarlet Knights in the second half. End of the home winning streak. Continuation of Michigan’s unbeaten streak versus Rutgers—now at 13-0. Placing Rutgers bid for its first NCAA spot since 1991 in jeopardy. 

Four game left. Starting with Wisconsin, where the Badgers are 12-1 at home; RU lost by 8. Then hosting #5 Maryland, a legitimate NCAA Final Four team. Followed by road tilts at #9 Penn State, which fell to a healthier Illinois team at home this week. With Rutgers ending the regular season at Purdue, where it is always tough to play. 

I have my real doubts about RU making it to the NCAA’s. If they don’t win another game, that’s it for them. Even a win at home versus Maryland or a road win may not be enough. No matter all of the close losses and the Quad 4 victories, RU may find itself sitting on the fence going into Selection Sunday. I hope CBS does not send cameras to Piscataway for a reaction shot.

Seton Hall hasn’t exactly been tearing up the course in the Big East lately. They have some losses at home and on the road and they survived a close one against Butler. I disagree with those who believe the Pirates are at least an Elite Eight team in the NCAA Tournament. 

#3 Kansas beat #1 Baylor in Waco on Saturday. Undefeated San Diego State lost at home. I didn’t see either of these teams winning the Tournament. #2 Gonzaga was upset by BYU in Provo. I don’t know how good they really are. To me, the favorites are Kansas and the field. And a team to watch is red hot Michigan, which has had the second best record since January 26.

The outcry from players over the lack of penalties to the Astros players and the team continues to distract from Spring Training 2020. Commissioner Rob Manfred has taken verbal hits akin to Mike Bloomberg in the Nevada debate. 

There is a simple way out. Take away the trophies and awards for the team and censure Astros owner Jim Crane for his comments. Then we might be able to move our focus onto the playing field. Don’t expect this to happen. 

Then again, Yankees fans are once more watching injured players so early into Spring Training. We knew about Aaron Hicks recovering from Tommy John surgery. We were aware of Domingo German’s continued suspension for his domestic abuse issues. We became painfully aware of James Paxton’s back surgery.

But then came some arm and shoulder soreness for OF Aaron Judge. Manager Aaron
Boone says it is nothing serious and it is only a minor setback. Wait a second, Aaron—didn’t you manage this team last season which looked like a M.A.S.H. unit with so much personnel on the IL? Nothing is minor setback in Yankeesland.

So now key starting pitcher Luis Severino has arm troubles when throwing his change up. Tests in December showed nothing structurally wrong. I am not buying into that report. I am awaiting his return to the IL for a prolonged stint, just like last season. 

Not to worry, Yankees faithful. There is a whole season to go and many more injuries to become concerned about. It is just typical Yankees problems which arise at the earliest and worst times possible. And it is all quiet in Mets camp.

Alex Ovechkin finally scored his long-awaited 700th goal against the Devils on Saturday before a full house in Newark. New Jersey won the game 3-2 by the continued strong goal tending of Mackenzie Blackwood, who sports a winning record and an under 3.00 goals against average. 

Ovechkin is one of the great snipers in NHL history. He is also a diva. I would much rather have Sidney Crosby on my team than Ovechkin. Or for that matter, I thought Mike Bossy of the Islanders was a better sniper on a great team.

Speaking of the Islanders, the franchise retired another jersey—number 27 worn by left winger John Tonelli. Except that their current captain, Anders Lee, wears the number. Very unusual. I did like that the Isles wore their white jerseys at home against Detroit—just as the great Islanders teams did.

In Toronto on Saturday night, the Carolina Hurricanes lost both of their goalies to injury during the second period. In stepped 42 year old David Ayers, the Zamboni driver for the Maple Leafs AHL team. Ayers allowed goals on the first two shots he faced before stopping the last 8. He was credited with the win.

Ayers has been a regular practice goalie for the Marlies, the Leafs AHL affiliate, and he had attended some Leafs practices. His hockey career was curtailed in 2004 when he received a kidney from his mother in a needed transplant. So Ayers stayed involved with the game and was named the emergency backup goalie in Toronto, available to both teams.

He wore his Marlies mask, got to keep his number 90 Hurricanes jersey, was given stick taps by some of the Leafs at the end of the second period, received a shower from the Hurricanes as he entered the locker room after being named Number 1 star for the night. David Ayers was paid $500 for his lifetime of memories. That was a great Saturday night by any standards.

I have been watching the NHL standings for awhile. While the Rangers are playing immensely better hockey, the ground to make up for a playoff berth seems to be too much. Washington hasn’t been playing that well lately and Pittsburgh is in a fight with them for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Those two teams are still significantly behind Eastern frontrunners Boston and Tampa Bay. In the West, Vegas has suddenly overtaken Edmonton and Vancouver in the Pacific Division. St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas rule the West right now. 

I had an interesting conversation with a PSE&G employee who installed a new electric meter. He said he played at the University of Delaware for awhile, which makes me believe that he didn’t finish. He loves his Raiders and he was highly complimentary about how Sam Darnold and the Jets tore apart his Raiders last season. He was not very high on Derek Carr, didn’t want Tom Brady in Las Vegas and he pointed out that when Head Coach Jon Gruden won, it was with journeymen QB’s like Brad Johnson and Rich Gannon.

The man was also a boxing aficionado and engaged me about the upcoming Wilder-Fury II heavyweight battle at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He seemed excited over the fight and praised Fury and Wilder. I opined that this could easily be a KO of Fury by Wilder. He disagreed. Obviously he knew his stuff because Wilder’s camp threw in the towel after the 7th round.

He also saw my poster of the Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvin Hagler fight from 1987. His family knew Hagler from time Hagler spent in Newark in elementary school, so he was biased about the outcome, thinking that his guy was robbed and that Leonard didn’t deserve to win. That’s so cool—33 years later and the guy is still passionate about the decision.

Thursday I met an old high school classmate for lunch back in Highland Park. The town has changed mightily since I departed in 1978. While I have periodically returned until my father died in 1992 and up to 1995 when we closed out his estate, Raritan Avenue is so different. Not necessarily in a good way. However, the Thai lunch we had was delicious, and there is a pretty good Greek restaurant on Woodbridge Avenue, the other main street in the borough. 

We reminisced about high school and talked about how boys tennis team is the main team, unlike the football powerhouse Highland Park was from the late 1950’s into the late 1970’s. Even some of the football teams in the 1980’s and ’90’s produced some fair talent. 

We also discussed how the inroads of travel squads and private and parochial schools have removed the good players form the local high schools—with significant financial cost to the parents who pull their child out of the public schools, seeking that elusive scholarship. Even smallish Highland Park has not been immune from the poaching of its talent. 

His son shined in soccer and was on the team at Carnegie-Mellon. The best thing he would say is that once a new coach came in and limited his son’s playing time, his son still enjoyed the air travel to University Athletic Association rivals such as Emory, NYU, Washington University, to name a few. While he did believe that the UAA was the best conference for soccer, I told him that I felt the NESCAC, the home of Williams, Amherst, Tufts, Trinity, Middlebury among others, was a better academic and athletic conference. He thought about it and agreed that might be true. 

What I didn’t tell him is that Swarthmore is 24-0 heading into its final regular season Centennial Conference game this season. The Garnet, last year’s runner up to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, are positioned to make a deep run into the NCAA Division III Tournament. So will Swarthmore roar through the contenders in the CC Tournament? We know the 2 versus 3 matchup is #2 seed Johns Hopkins against #3 Haverford. The teams in the play in game will come form the likes of Ursinus, Washington College (both having 7-10 conference records) and Gettysburg (6-11 CC record).

Which is why I attended the Ursinus-Franklin and Marshall game in Lancaster when presented the opportunity to see our daughter in Hershey, where she arrived for a concert. This is a game with some meaning for the Bears, and one that the Diplomats, 6-11 CC, 10-14 overall, could end the very disappointing first season without the mentoring of Glenn Robinson, D-III’s all time winningest men’s basketball coach, with a big win over a tough rival. 

Before we entered a refurbished Mayser Center, and after we met our daughter for lunch in Hershey as she and a friend were in for a Post Malone concert at the Giant Center, we watched a bit of the Women’s Lacrosse action at Shadek Stadium. #7 F&M hosted #8 Washington and Lee. When we left the tight defensive contest, F&M was ahead 7-6. The Diplomats notched their first win by a 9-8 score on a breezy, sunny and bright 52 degree late February day.

Inside Mayser, we watched a see saw battle develop in the first half. Ursinus and a 2-1-2 zone gave F&M fits. F&M kept the Bears in check, trailing only by 2 at the half, 40-38.

The second half opened up with Ursinus falling behind then extending their lead before a hustling, stifling F&M defense shut the Ursinus offense down, holding the Bears to 25 second half points en route to a 77-65 win.

It was Senior Day at Franklin and Marshall. Three team members were recognized—a team manager, Jeremy Griel; Ignus Slika, a gutty forward who was 10th on the all-time minutes list for F&M; and Mike Rice, a guard out of Point Pleasant Beach.

Mike Rice happens to be the son off Mike Rice, Jr., the former coach of Rutgers who was dismissed for his unfortunate physical abuse of his players. Mike Rice, Jr., who now dabbles in NJ scholastic basketball coaching, was there, the proud father of his son, who is going on to be a graduate assistant at TCU under Jamie Dixon, the former Pitt coach. 

This would make 3 generations of Rices coaching basketball, as the patriarch was a college coach and a color commentator for the Portland Trail Blazers. Quite an achievement. 

After the game, F&M held a ceremony for legendary retired Men’s Basketball Coach Glenn Robinson. Robinson will be inducted into the F&M Hall of Fame later this year along with retiring AD Patty Epps. Robinson accumulated a record of 967-359 in 48 years on the F&M sidelines. HIs teams went to the Division III NCAA Tournament 25 times, resulting in 44 wins. Seventeen trips to the Sweet Sixteen were made under Robinson. Ten Elite Eight appearances. Five of his teams made the Final Four, with one team reaching the Finals.  He averaged over 20 wins per season, and his teams won 97 post-season games. Robinson had been named Conference Coach of the Year 12 times, twice nationally. All-America status went to 26 of his players. And 17 times F&M players coached by Robinson were named Conference Player of the Year.

That is some resume. Absent a NCAA Division III title, which no Centennial Conference team has won (although Swarthmore made it to last year’s title game and is 25-0 thus far this season) and only Lebanon Valley from the former Middle Atlantic Conference which F&M was a member, has been a title holder (1994).

F&M is hardly a basketball mill. Robinson stepped into a losing program and instilled direction and demanded adherence to fundamentals and detail. Which has obviously paid off handsomely. 

I don’t know how Hall of Fame voters measure Division III coaches, because it is such a different animal. And I don’t know if not winning a National Championship is a prohibition to entering the Hall. What I do know is that Glenn Robison is deserving of Hall of Fame scrutiny given his outstanding credentials at an academic institution such as Franklin and Marshall. In my book, he should be in 2 Hall of Fames—the one he enters this fall in Lancaster, and the one in Springfield, Massachusetts where I believe he belongs.

For the record, The Yankees and Mets both lost their Spring Training openers and F&M’s baseball team lost a pair to Penn State-Harrisburg at the neutral site of Ephrata High School. Such are the Spring Training Blues.

It's Valentine's Day

It’s Valentine’s Day. No, not every day spent with the former Mets manager, Bobby Valentine. That would be a bad attempt at recreating the movie Groundhog Day. And I really did like Bill Murray in the movie. I don’t know if Bobby V would be so entertaining, despite wearing a mask in the dugout after he had been ejected from a game. 

In the sports world, Valentine’s Day is another day to market the product. While the NBA is in the midst of the annual All-Star weekend in frigid Chicago (it should be frigid in Chicago in mid-February), it is another college basketball night for those who play on the weekends like the Ivies. 

There was a showdown between the two top teams in Jadwyn Gymnasium at Princeton. Yale demolished the Tigers to go 18-5. There is talk that Yale could garner an at-large bid if they don’t win the ivy Tournament at Harvard in a couple of weeks. I think that their resume is not outstanding with a loss to San Francisco in OT, and close losses to North Carolina and Oklahoma State; the team has a 2 point loss at highly ranked Penn State and a road win at Clemson. 

Yale has to get through another road contest this weekend in the Palestra against tough host Penn, who upset Harvard, another Ivy contender, a few weeks ago. The Bulldogs get a chance at revenge versus Harvard in Cambridge on March 7, the last game before the conference tournament. This is a team to watch. 

I saw a pedestrian 12-11 Davidson College team win by 29 at St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies fell to 17-9 and 9-4 in the Atlantic 10. One of St. Bonaventure’s wins was against Rutgers in Toronto early in the season. More on Rutgers later in this blog.

So I thought about Valentine’s Day in a couple of contexts. Besides the obvious homage to my lovely wife for her dedication and devotion to me for all of these years, which continues a celebratory tradition of eating two cupcakes (a consecutive year streak of 38) and Chinese food for lunch, I wondered who was born on Valentine’s Day.

The leading name for Valentine’s Day birthdays is Michael Bloomberg. Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you might have heard of him. President Trump sure has. Additionally, magician Teller of Penn and Teller calls Valentine’s Day his birthday. So does actress Florence Henderson. And labor leader Jimmy Hoffa was a Valentine’s Day baby.

Sports figures who are February 14th celebrants include Jadeveon Clowney (Seattle Seahawks), Alshon Jeffrey (Philadelphia Eagles), Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly (Buffalo Bills), Drew Bledsoe (New England Patriots—the man Tom Brady replaced) and Christian Hackenberg (New York Jets). Female golfer Mickey Wright was born on this date, along with Hockey Hall Of Fame player Bernie (Boom Boom) Geoffreon. Plus, Mel Israel was born on this day in 1911 in Alabama—we knew him as legendary Yankees announcer Mel Allen.

What notable sporting events occurred on Valentine’s Day? In 1934, there was a benefit hockey game for Ace Bailey, a Maple Leafs player whose career was tragically ended by a violent hit during a game in the 1933-34 season. The Leafs hosted a group of the NHL players at Maple Leaf Gardens, defeating them 7-3. That game was the underpinning for the NHL All-Star Game.

Other notable achievements on February 14 included Sugar Ray Robinson, one of the greatest boxers ever, defeating Jake La Motta for the middleweight crown in 1951 and Wilt Chamberlain, the gigantic center off NBA fame, breaking the then NBA career scoring record in 1966. On February 14, 1987, 53,745 saw the Philadelphia 76’ers play the Detroit Pistons in Pontiac, Michigan. 

Just a bit more current trivia from February 14, 2020. In the NBA Futures Game, top draft choice Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans bent the rim dunking from an alley oop pass by number 3 draftee Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies. Those two will play in many future NBA All Star games.

Sidney Crosby, Canada’s hero and back in form with the Pittsburgh Penguins, had three assists in a home win over Montreal. Plus the suddenly surging New York Rangers won another game on the road, topping Columbus.

What also was going around the baseball world as Spring Training convened in Florida and Arizona was continued talk about the Houston Astros cheating scandal. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was unhappy about it. NK MVP Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers was angry and felt the Astros stole the World Series from them. Some Astros and former Astros apologized, but Astros owner Jim Crane was a bit more defiant about their World Series win, saying that the team deserved to be champions. 

Most assuredly, this will not go away. Opposing teams will target Houston batters. There will be fights. The catcalls from the stands will be vicious. 

The more I think about it, the chances that Jose Altuve makes the Hall of Fame have taken a major hit given the insinuations about his wearing a buzzer. I don’t know how it will affect the careers of Gerrit Cole, now a Yankee, or Justin Verlander when their careers are evaluated. 

MLB botched the steroid controversy. Not enough players were penalized for drug-enhanced careers. It has sadly been up to the Hall of Fame voters to keep out the supposed cheaters like Roger Clemons, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds.

Once more MLB has botched it.  Reopen the investigations, before anarchy reigns this season. Protect those who participated by suspending them—before some pitcher strikes Altuve, George Springer or Alex Bregman in the head. They must be punished because they participated. My former juvenile clients would have been held accountable for their actions in a theft or robbery. 

This is shameful, Rob Manfred. Do something. We cannot act as if the case is closed when it isn’t.

Speaking of baseball players who have sinned, Alex Rodriguez is interested in putting together a syndicate to buy the Mets from the Wilpons. The Mets were his favorite team growing up and Keith Hernandez was his idol. This sounds interesting and would be a great story in New York and throughout baseball. Imagine Derek Jeter and A-Rod attending owners meetings together? Making trades? 

The large salaries previous and current owners awarded top talent in baseball enabled the former player becoming an owner. I love it. I look forward to the day when basketballer LeBron James owns the Cleveland Cavaliers…

Fan X has been all over me about devoting too much time yo Rutgers basketball. Fan X has been like the gnat in your ear which doesn’t seem to want to go away. Thankfully he does not have a Twitter account.

I have told my readers that my love of RU basketball is rooted in my teens. Growing up in Highland Park, a mile away from the Rutgers campus, I was first exposed to RU hoops on the airwaves of local station WCTC 1450. I went to my first game in 1965 when RU downed Gettysburg at the College Avenue Gymnasium (later dubbed “The Barn”). Although a small venue, the noise of the pep band, the activity of the cheerleaders and the loudness of the crowd abutting the court was magical. I had read the articles in The Home News, our local paper. As RU got better, the coverage was more intense.

I grew up in the first golden era of Rutgers basketball. All-time great Bob Lloyd was the star. He was joined in the backcourt by a young, energetic player from Long Island named Jim Valvano. Yes, the Jimmy Valvano who coached NC State to a NCAA title and then succumbed to cancer. When I was in New Brunswick or on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park, our main street, I would sometimes see Lloyd or Valvano. They were my idols.

RU had a magical season in 1966-67. Lloyd led the nation in scoring. He was a highly accurate free throw shooter. He and Valvano formed the highest scoring backcourt in college hoops. While RU didn’t get invited to the NCAA’s because here were so few at-large berths, the Scarlet Knights made it to the National Invitation Tournament at the old Madison Square Garden on Eighth Avenue. The NIT still carried great prestige at the time.

RU behind Lloyd, Valvano and Bob Grecean, who later played with the Milwaukee Bucks, went on a run, beating Utah State, New Mexico (with star center Mel Daniels, who was mainstay of the Indiana Pacers) before falling to a Walt Frazier-led Southern Illinois squad which won the tournament. I went to the consolation game before the finals on a very cold and windy March day in 1968, getting a student ticket which landed me in the upper deck of the Garden. I watched Lloyd and Valvano, in their final collegiate game, lead the Knights to a third place finish with a win over Marshall.

I was hooked. I played pickup basketball at College Avenue. Our high school team had a playoff game there. I knew local hero John Somogyi, the then top scorer in NJ scholastic history out of St. Peter’s H.S. in New Brunswick, who transferred to RU. 

They were my team. Just like the football team—I met Coach John Bateman, whose  son Scott went to Highland Park H.S. Rutgers was starting to emerge from the sleepy little Ivy-like school to what it has evolved into. Athletics was a key component in making Rutgers into a nationally-known school. They played Alabama and Bear Bryant in football along with other SEC teams like Tennessee and Florida and more than held their own. In basketball, there would be trips to the NIT and NCAA’s, with 1975-76 producing the undefeated regular season marred only by losses to powerhouses Michigan and UCLA in the Final Four. 

The RAC opened in 1976. I adored it. I shot one shot on the floor and made it. The RAC became my favorite arena. I am still awed that Rutgers Stadium, where I sometimes ran on the track, grew from a 23,000 seat venue to a massive 52,000 fan structure. 

In football, I have seen Army, Notre Dame, some Big Ten schools and I was there the night RU shocked the nation by defeating top-ranked Louisville. In basketball, even with the lean years after the 1991 NCAA team, I have seen FanX’s Syracuse Orange taste defeat at the RAC. I was there when RU played the University of North Carolina. I was there during the Atlantic 10 years and of course, when RU was part of the Big East with Geoff Billet and Quincy Douby. I have seen RU play in the Big East Tournament at the Garden. Now RU is in the Big Ten. Pretty heady. My list is of RU highlights is endless.

I have followed Rutgers from afar as well as attended numerous games. This is why I have a partial season plan at the RAC. For the fun and loyalty that oozes from me—even if I am not an alumnus. I love a sunny spring afternoon to go see RU play baseball nearby Bainton Field. There are new banners for Rutgers wrestling hanging from the rafter in the RAC; I was there to see some of the top wrestlers wrestle.

So, Fan X, I bleed a different shade of red—scarlet. I like it a lot better than orange. Besides, the Scarlet Knight on his white steed at the football games or even the costumed version indoors at the RAC is far superior to “Otto the Orange.” 

Which is why I was so happy that the team made its miraculous resurgence against Northwestern last Sunday night. And why I look forward to the visit by Illinois to the RAC, another must win situation for the team if they continue to lose on the road like they did at Ohio State this week, just coming up short in another comeback attempt. I will be in my seat, rooting for my team. Like always. My adolescence, which formed around Rutgers sports among other teams, has traveled with me as I head into my later adult years. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, Fan X. From a friend with a Scarlet Knights T shirt covering his scarlet heart during the National Anthem. 

Mid-Winter Musings

The week started auspiciously with the Red Sox and Dodgers engaging in a trade which would send Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles and Boston receiving a highly coveted Dodgers prospect. The Twins were brought in so that LAD could dump versatile pitcher Kenta Maeda, with Minnesota giving Boston a young pitcher who throws over 100 mph. 

Except here we are, as the weekend begins, with the Red Sox seeking more compensation before the trade is consummated. Which affects a Dodgers-Angels trade where Dodgers outfielder Joc Peterson and pitcher Ross Stripling go to Anaheim. 

MLBPA head Tony Clark is furious over this trade as it drags on without coming to any resolution. Sources say that another team may have to be brought into the mess, as the Twins steadfastly refuse to provide another player to Boston. Stay tuned for more details. 

Of course, the Yankees made news. Unfortunately, news wasn’t so good. Stalwart left-hander James Paxton underwent back surgery, which will require 3 to 4 months recovery time. This makes J.A. Happ and his onerous salary a valuable commodity for the Yankees to keep, unless Brian Cashman has another deal up his sleeve.

That trade might involve obtaining third baseman Kris Bryant, who lost an arbitration case to the Cubs, who are now seeking to trade him. Bryant’s power numbers are down slightly, and he is not quite the fielder that incumbent third baseman Gio Urshela is. The Yankees would then jettison Miguel Andujar, who, after returning from injury, seemingly has no place on the roster. 

News came from Queens that billionaire Steve Cohen could not conclude his negotiations with the Wilpons to take over the Mets. The Wilpons wanted to stay on 5 years after the sale, which evidently did not sit well with Cohen. Nor did it with me. Mets fans are left scratching their heads (again), wondering what now?

Jessica Mendoza has left the Mets front office special adviser position she took earlier this offseason and returned to the ESPN booth, but not for Sunday Night Baseball. She will be the first female solo analyst on national TV. 

Mendoza famously took on Mike Fiers for his detailing the Astros sign stealing. I didn’t particularly like her, because she sometimes was a bit giggly. As much as he can be reviled, Alex Rodriguez is a far more insightful analyst. Rumor has it that YES Network’s David Cone, a former teammate of A-Rod, might join him in the Sunday night booth, while finishing out his raining year on his current YES contract. Curious question—where does C.C. Sabathia fit in regarding TV—this year or after Cone leaves YES?

Regarding the Astros, former manager A.J Hinch has been sounding a bit contrite about what happened. It is speculated that he wants back in the game after the one year suspension. 

However, there are reports surfacing that much more was happening by way of codes and other ways to get the deciphered signs to the Astros batters. If so, this makes things look bleaker for Hinch, Carlos Beltran and Joey Cora.

MLB icon Henry Aaron sounded off about the cheating. He called for a ban for life for those who participated. It is interesting that no players are being held responsible for this deception. 

And in light of the suspensions, Pete Rose has again petitioned MLB for reinstatement and eligibility for the Hall of Fame. He claims what was done here was far more egregious than his betting, and the punishment wasn’t nearly as harsh as his ban from the game. Should Rose prevail and become eligible for Cooperstown, would that same voter who didn’t vote for Jeter  vote for the man with the most hits ever in the game?

Houston hired managerial veteran Dusty Baker as its new manager. Good luck to Dusty.

Before leaving baseball, MLB TV put a curious list of 9 droughts in baseball which await something to happen. I was astonished with a few of them.

First, the Reds have never had a Cy Young Award winner. It has been 44 years since there has been a hit streak of over 40 games, and that was by none other than Pete Rose in 1976. No one has stolen over 80 bases in a season since 1988. The Marlins and Rockies have never won a division title. The Marlins have never had a player hit for the cycle and the Padres have never had a pitcher throw a no hitter. San Francisco hasn’t had a 30 home run hitter since 2004. The last perfect game was thrown in 2012. And finally, while the Mariners have never reached the World Series, Seattle hasn’t made the playoffs since 2001.

The NBA ended its trading period with a flurry of deals. The one I liked the most, if it wasn’t as big a splash as some others, was that Golden State traded prolific shooting guard D’Angelo Russell, part of the Kevin Durant replenishment, to Minnesota and received forward Andrew Wiggins. The Warriors also shipped out two shooters to a suddenly weak and in turmoil Philadelphia team. This is setting up the Warriors for a great 2021-22 campaign with the return to health of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, plus a very high draft choice, unless they parlay that into another veteran player designed to make the Warriors relevant again in a hurry. 

But don’t worry, Knicks fans. The team fired longtime President Steve Mills. Highly sought-after forward Marcus Morris was dealt to the Clippers. Still, help may be on the horizon. 

Rumors persist that the team is angling to lure player agent Leon Rose to lead the team. This falls in the mold of Brodie Van Wagenen of the Mets, Rob Pelinka of the Lakers, Arn Tellem with Detroit and Golden State GM Bob Myers. All former highly successful agents now with team leadership posts.

In this case, what do the Knicks have to lose? They tried the guru, Phil Jackson. That was a bomb. Mills, a veteran NBA career man, didn’t pan out. So now the Knicks are going the non-traditional route. 

The one constant is James Dolan, the mercurial owner fans love to hate. Even he, by sheer luck, might make a good hire here. After all, the Knicks have had the worst record in the NBA over the past couple of years. Perhaps his hiring of Steve Stoute to rebrand his franchise might also help—Stoute is responsible for the Chris Paul State Farm commercials.

Yes, Knicks fans, hope is once more in your corner. I am sure that the Commissioner’s office would love to have a viable team in Madison Square Garden. With or without Dolan. 

Rutgers had a bad game at Maryland on Tuesday. The #9 Terrapins hung on for a 56-51 win in College Park. This was another winnable game that RU couldn’t pull the trigger on. Plus, offensive player Trae Young was arrested for driving while impaired by campus police, which led to a a violation of team rules, causing him to miss the game when the Scarlet Knights could have dearly used his scoring.

RU is in a funk. They are not exhibiting a winning mentality. Their lack of scoring is a glaring problem, which unfortunately undermines their good defense. 

But let’s be real about Coach Steve Pikiell’s team. Nobody expected such loftiness this year. That they are 16-7 at this time of the season is way beyond expectation. Yet it has created an illusion that this is an NCAA Tournament level team. I have said it before—I don’t think they are.

RU has 8 games left to play. I will be at 3 of the 4 home games, starting with Northwestern on Sunday evening (I’ll miss the Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards on the Oscar telecast). RU remains unbeaten on the floor of the RAC. Besides the Wildcats, two other visiting teams are ranked—Illinois and Maryland in the final home game—and Michigan, which RU has never beaten.

Should RU run the table and go undefeated at home, that isn’t enough in my estimation to get them to the Big Dance. For RU has dangerous road contests with a ranked Penn State team eager for revenge, a suddenly improving Ohio State team, and Wisconsin and Purdue, two more teams seeking revenge for earlier losses. Failure to win at least two of the four road games could easily place RU on the outside looking in. This team also will need a strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament to make a statement to the selectors. 

The odds are against RU in this instance if they cannot find more offense, especially on the road. Still, a season above .500 and an NIT berth would be a successful season, one which they can build upon. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and certainly the renaissance in Rutgers basketball isn’t going to happen overnight. It is, however, a promising start.

Duke and North Carolina renew hostilities on Saturday night in the best rivalry in college basketball. Except that UNC is in the midst of a horrendous year and Duke is not like the Duke of old—they aren’t a true first seed at this point. I am so not intrigued by the level of this game that I might actually skip it. 

Nor am I watching the XFL inaugurate its maiden season this weekend. No interest at all. I guess that much of pro football fandom agrees with me on that one. Besides, I’d much rather be at Disney World, as stated by Patrick Mahomes after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. 

And I will not be viewing Justin Bieber on SNL. Only the cold opening will be good. 

Speaking of cold, I do look forward to the 2020 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series from the Air Force Academy (that sounds weird), when the Los Angeles Kings meet the Colorado Avalanche. A beautiful nighttime setting in the frigid Rocky Mountains. Now that ought to be fun.

This is what happens when you are just past mid-winter and the skies are so changeable, just like the standings in all of the leagues competing right now. This is why my thoughts are called Mid-Winter musings.